Tuesday, August 26, 2008

I knew I was going to be staying home with Erin, and I was pretty defensive about being a stay-at-home dad, and gender equality in parenting, and misperceptions of fathers. So when I read the tagline on the magazine (Parenting Magazine: What matters to moms) I was righteously indignant.

How Dare They?? How dare they assume that parent=mom? I am outraged! I will write letters! I will probably not do anything but boy, I will feel really strongly about this for a short time and then forget about it altogether!

I did get up in arms a couple of times about some stupid comments someone or other made about at-home dads, or about the attitude toward at-home dads that I detected out there in my early days of cruising the internet during Erin's naps. But, as with most things, familiarity, conversation, getting to know people, and patience ended the knee-jerk defensiveness I felt.

It no longer bothers me that Parenting Magazine markets parenting as a mom job. I can laugh and see the tagline for what it is: just a way to sell magazines.

Thought you might like thishttp://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/posters/a76a/&http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/posters/a42d/

BSG rocks, parenting magazines do not. Although I do try to love Mothering (yay breasfeeding photo on covers banned in bible belt) but my hubby is "Mothering" just as much as I am. Was "Parenting" taken?

Also, neither my husband or I are stay-at-home parents. My son has a stay-at-home-grammy, for which we are endlessly grateful.

We're both annoyed at the Parenting tagline. He likes to browse through the articles and information, and once in a while it's useful and not trite. And it's insulting to both of us that so much of that information is lady-coated. (Wait, that sounds gross.)

I stay at home too my brotha!!! I feel the same way at times. As for the pareting mags....I think that they market to women cuz women obviously need more help than us MEN. (moms....dont become TentCampe haters...men kid roungd too)Playboy and TV guide is all I need.

my BIL is a SAHD, and his kids are now 4 and 2. He has found it difficult to join mommy groups because inevitably there will end up being one mom who will flirt a little to much, or they make him feel uncomfortable. So basically he has never re-joined any moms groups.

Now I have to say in the moms defense my BIL is very goodlooking and a catch... so who can blame them, he cooks cool dishes, reads, is a woodworker, and an outdoor guy but I feel sad for him. I sometimes feel like he is in an isolated group.

So I ask you... what is your take on the SAHM's you interact with. How many of them really do hit on you?